My journey to Varanasi, but especially Banares Hindu University (BHU) was profound beyond any thing that I had imagined. I went there to primarily do research in Ayurveda and yoga at BHU. The Dean of Ayurvedic faculty was kind enough to issue me a pass to all of the libraries except the Central one. All of the librarians and assistants extended their kindness and openness to having use their facilities. It was so wonderful to see that the Ayurvedic College at BHU is a part of the Institute of Medical Sciences. The books there were amazing to find all the classic texts books from ancient times and much more. I almost filled an entire notebook and some days spending more than 5 hours in the various libraries of the Schools of Philosophy, Psychology, Medical Science, Ayurveda and the MALAVIYA BHAVAN (the Yoga Academy on the campus of BHU offering courses and degrees in YOGA).
I believe the highlight was rediscovering the “Synthesis of Yoga” written by Sri Aurobindo, a great philosopher, yogi and illuminated being. I bought this huge book about ten years ago but could not get past one sentence without being lost. This experience was one where the words leaped off the pages as fast as I could read them. It is a very inspiring and provocative approach an integrative process of yoga and spiritual practice which he outlines in great detail. He explains the process of combining the major paths and tenets of yoga into a very personal in depth experience of uniting with our Divine Self while at the same time being completely immersed in our daily worldly life. These are not separate compartments, he contends, but a holistic matrix of essential parts of our true nature which must be integrated so as to embrace the inner and outer domains of existence simultaneously.
Another literary discovery came to me in the Central Library at BHU entitled “Integral Psychology”. It is written by a student of Sri Auro  bindo elaborating on his teacher’s philosophy in a clear and informative manner. Since I have a Master’s degree in Psychology I found this to be a fascinating book. In India since the beginning of history, they have developed the sciences of philosophy and psychology, the arts, literature, metaphysics and medicine along each other rather than as separate explorations. At the same time, these questionings of the meaning of life and the foundations of thought were not divorced from the religious or spiritual paths. It is fascinating to me that in all my studies and teaching of Ayurveda, all of the major philosophies (Shad Darshan) that this ancient system of medicine embraces are the same as those which shaped the whole of India culture and civilization. All of the major theories and practices of Ayurveda are universal, just as the Eastern approaches to yoga, philosophy, psychology, the arts, etc.The answers to finding health, longevity, peace and happiness in this life and the one beyond are not a singular journey of one culture, race, nation or continent but has global implications.
I am now in Mother’s ashram in the southern part of India about 4 hours from the southern most tip of the country. It is very tropical here and hot and humid. Quite a change from Rishikesh and Varanasi where it got cold at night and in the morning. The plane ride and taxi that took me from the airport at 8 pm to reach my destination at 2:30 am, was another one of those India experiences which is hard to explain except that they do not charge anything extra for that pert of the journey. I will be celebrating my birthday and New Years eve here. It is a simple existence and place to stay but being in the presence of a great being makes all of this worthwhile. I would not trade it.
I do seva here which is selfless service. My seva is cutting laminated sheets that are used fo children’s school book binders. They come off the press in long rolls and I cut them apart for the final product which Mother donates to all of her many free schools throughout India. This makes it all worthwhile too.
Enough for now More to come later probably.

Jai Ma Jai Ayurveda

I have arrived in Varanasi, probably considered by most Indologists the oldest city in the world. The University is huge measuring 3.5 miles square. It contains a hospital, temple, Indian shops, bookstores and restaurants, a Yoga academy – “Malviya”, Ayurvedic College which is also a part of the Institute of Medical Sciences as well as a separate facility. The campus has student dorms called hostels, an International center, guest houses for visitors, faculty housing, a school for the children of faculty and dorms for the staff.

I was priviledged to meet the Dean of Ayurvedic faculty who just happened to be in his office on the first day I arrived. I went unannounced into his office. He graciously offered me a seat I told me the procedures for getting a pass for the various Ayurvedic libraries on campus. I figured it would be days and lots of red tape to get the pass. He offered me a piece of plain paper to write my request, took a copy of my passport & visa and immediately signed with his approval. He directed me to take it to his asst. in another location on campus. On my out he was leaving so told me I could ride with him to the Medical Sciences building where his asst. would expedite the paperwork. His asst. took me down the hall to the asst. Librarian who showed me the location of all of the Ayurvedic volumes in that building.

The next day, I finally found the Ayurvedic School where they accepted my word about the Dean’s approval letter and immediately opened up their library for my research. The other day, I located the School of Philosophy and Psychology. Once again I was accommodated with one of the librarians bringing me several volumes on the History of Indian Philosophy and allowing me to check out for review any of the doctoral thesis available in their school. Yesterday, I went to the main library to find books on Eastern Psychology. Again they graciously gave me a day pass. To say the least, I am truly honored and grateful for this opportunity to explore the educational mecca of Ayuveda and Eastern philosophy/psychology. AND I am here for another two weeks of study and exploration.

I have located a little rooftop Ayurvedic cafe and another Western style cafe called Open Hand – Coffee and Textiles. The Open Hand features all the lattes, etc, and bakery items including chocolate which is relatively a new concept to India. The Open Hand offers a wide assortment of fabrics, clothes, wall hangings, bed covers, and gift items made by handicapped women in the local area. They also have cafes in two other cities that I will be visiting before leaving India. Since I have been spending so much time in this area which is the older section of the city and where a lot of Westerners and foreigners stay, I found a little hotel to move into. It is further to get to the BHU campus but I have been walking more here. Much of the time I take either a three-wheel, motorized rickshaw or on the campus where there is some restrictions on motor vehicles, I travel by the bicycle type three-wheel rickshaw.

Will update you in a week or two.

Jai Ma Jai Ayurveda

Finished up the two weeks of treatments with the Doctor and his staff in Rishikesh. It was phenomenal once again and actually it is really not over The body/mind continues to cleanse long after the formal treatments are administered. My back continues to get better each time that I am here and each day this trip My journey to the Himalayas by car for 10 hours did shake things up a lot but I am recovering from that as well.

I took a trip to a holy Temple where almost a million people travel each year on pilgrimage. The Badrinath temple is approx. a 10 hour drive from Rishikesh. The temple was supposedly built by Adi Shankracharya sometime in the 8th century for retreat. He is a very famous philosopher/saint in India. The location is only several kilometers from the Indo-China (Tibetan) border. They close it on November 18th because the snow fall covers the entire and everyone leaves the valley except four government employees who stay in a small place on top of a near by mountain. The temple has been rebuilt several times over the years due to avalances which destroyed most of it.

We spent the first night in a very nice Guest House in a town near the holy place. It took another two hours to get there over a small two lane road which sometimes narrowed to only one lane on the climb to an elevation of over 6000 feet. Now understand that only a very small portion of that road was paved according to US standards. The rest was rocks and quite a few boulders from the frequent landslides. To say the least, it was a bit scary at times in the car but amazing to see all the tourist buses driving through these narrow places. Oh yes, there was two way traffic on the road if I did not already mention that.

There was a small village surrounding the temple area but most of the people had already left this time of year. Fortunately, there were not a lot of tourist present either which also made the crowds smaller. I was disappointed that this has become a typical tourist town that we would find in the US complete with souvenir shops, hustlers, beggars and road side food stands. The only difference in India is that they are very cheap items and food.

I really enjoyed soaking in the hot springs which you are supposed to do before entering the temple area. The mineral water is supposed to have medicinal properties. It was sure a welcome experience after the 10 hour drive the day before and the two hours over the narrow mountain passes that morning. Even as local priest hustled me for money for doing a puja (spiritual ritual). I have learned that this is all of part of the India experience. When I finally arrived at the front of the temple, it was closed until that afternoon. I decided to sit down and meditate in front of this sacred place with the gorgeous view of the Himalayas in the distance. After sitting for awhile and doing several mantras to quiet my busy mind, I began to feel why so many travel such long distances over very treacherous roads to get here. All the hustle and commercialization dropped away. I felt a deep sense of peace and calmness come over me. The spirituality of the place over shadowed the sensory stimuli and my doubts about why I ever wanted to come to this spot.

Also only a short distance from the Badrinath temple I visited a small Indo-Mongolian village which is the last place before entering China. It is amazing how these people live so simply yet appear to be very happy with their existence. How they transported all the materials and supplies to build the Temple, the roads, buildings and houses is totally mind boggling. I am in complete awe at the power and conviction of the human spirit.

My next place to visit is Varanasi on November 27th which is considered to be the oldest city in the world and an education mecca for classic Ayurveda. As you might imagine, I am excited about going there for three weeks to study and do research in more of the esoteric Ayurvedic practices.

I will keep you posted along the journey.

Jai Ayurveda

I arrived in Delhi on the November 20th after a great flight on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The first leg from JFK to Amsterdam was only 6 1/2 hours. We had a strong tailwind. I did not get to see much of Amsterdam since it was 6 am and still dark. It was pouring when we first arrived but lessened so grabbed a train from  the airport to the city. It was only a 10 min trip. Having left my jacket is a storage locker at the airport, it was too cold to explore the city and drizzling rain. I did notice a great many bicycles in and around the train station indicating that most people must travel without polluting the city. I have a longer layover on my return trip so hope to get into the heart of the city which I hear is incredible. The second leg to Delhi was another 7hr 45min which really broke the flight up much better than my previous trips. Spent one night in Delhi getting my land legs back again. There we were met driver to take us by car from Delhi to Rishikesh which was 8 hours. It was the worst part of the trip The roads in India are not that great and the traffic can be difficult at best. I will travel by train from Delhi from now on. I have a client who has traveled with me this time to receive Pancha Karma. It is her first trip to India so she is very excited to be here as am I. She returns to US on Nov 17th but I stay here until Jan 8th. I will traveling to several locations in country by train and plane. I go to Varanasi, a city that is considered to be the oldest in the world. I plan to be there for more than two weeks doing research and talking with Professors at Banares Hinduu University. I have a client who was born there and his parents still live there. He has lined me up with a friend to show me around the city and arranged for me to stay at the University. I then head to the southern most tip of India to see my spiritual teacher, Ammachi. I will be there for my birthday and the New Year. Then back up north near the Himalayas for a Yoga conference, Jan 2-5. I return on Jan 8th to US.

I have already received 12 of my 14 days of PK in Rishikesh, the birthplace of Ayurveda. This is the third trip here for these ancient cleansing and rejuvenation techniques. These treatments are performed for the prevention of disease and to promote longevity. It is the primary objective of Ayurveda to offer preventive measures to dis-ease. The second goal is to return the person to health if they experience illness and disorder in the doshas. It is recommended that we do PK two times a year for either three days minimum to as long as a month depending on the condition of the person and their constitutional make-up at the time. I received thirty days of treatment the first trip and two weeks this trip and the last time I was here. I have received Ayurvedic warm oil massage and steam everyday. The only problem here is that you go into withdrawal after two weeks of these amazing therapies. Each time I do PK the cleansing seems to go deeper into the tissues, organs and cells. Every person has their own journey to health and wholeness. For me this time, in addition to the physical benefits which I will discuss later, I am experiencing more emotional release than any other time. Some deep emotions have surfaced from the unconscious for me to look at and resolve within myself. I had forgotten about most of these things but I am once again reminded that we must resolve each feeling and emotion or it will get locked in the tissues and organs of the body/mind. I am grateful that Ayurveda is helping me detox at all levels of consciousness.
I have received two new treatments this trip as a part of my individualized program. Keep in mind here that these are not for everyone to receive and I actually volunteered for one of them which no one has done here at the clinic. I received Uttara Basti which rejuvenates the prostate and the urinary bladder. It is excellent treatment for benign prostatitis(inflammation) which 60% of men have over the age of 60. It is therapy for excessive, difficult urination and incontinence. I immediately noticed the next day that my urination decreased in frequency and urgency. The female therapy for Uttara Basti is medicated, herbal douching.
For Pitta related blood disorders, infectious disease, sciatica, back pain and stagnant blood, Rakta Moksha is the primary method of treatment. This is blood letting of only 10 to 100 ccs which is much less than a pint of blood. I volunteered for using medical leeches for this therapy. This is a very ancient method of cleansing but continues to be used in many modern hospitals in the US for microsurgery and infectious diseases. This was an amazing experience to have done and the results have been remarkable. I have had numbness in my right foot and ankle for years but after one treatment and five leeches later I can actually feel the blood flowing into that area again. I also had what is called a frozen left knee for several years due to a pinched nerve in my left sacroiliac nerve. This area is also almost free of all numbness as a result of the treatments. The leech pricks the surface of the skin, very gently I might add, coagulates the blood so that the impurities are removed into their body and they secrete in their saliva enzymes that increase the circulation of blood in the areas where administered. My sciatic numbness has also decreased in both legs and back since my treatment yesterday and today. I am looking forward to the next treatment and will keep you posted on the results. Even though Ayurveda and PK is generally a very gentle process based on each person’s receptivity, there are times and conditions when more radical methods are required for healing and longevity. Actually, they are not as radical as some of western medicines frequently used treatments such as introducing poisons into the body with chemotherapy and radiation.
HAPPY DIWALI! This is a celebration that is done in the buildings and homes in India in Oct or November each year when there is no moon. They place lights on the buildings and in their homes similar to Christmas decorations and then the fireworks they set off are similar to New Years. It is a time to light the physical darkness but also symbolically to ward off evil of any kind and to light up the dark places within each of us that is hidden by our egos.(The ego part is my addition).

Jai Ayurveda Jai The Light

Om Shanti

I arrived here on the evening of the 28th and began my Ayurvedic treatments on the morning of the 29th. Let me mention again the purpose of Pancha Karma(PK) It is to remove the toxins blocking the body’s natural healing powers and to rejuvenate the body/mind’s innate vital essence. The nutritional cleanses of the Western brand work only on the physical level whereas Ayurveda PK focuses on all three bodies – physical, emotional/mental and the spiritual.

The treatments vary as to individual needs and constitutional make-up. It is not one program for all. My needs center around my muscular skeletal system primarily sciatica and a bulging disc which is pressing on the nerves causing numbness in both legs and lumbar area. I also have some weak kidney energy and Vata imbalance due to Vata stage of life and traveling all over the world and US.

Since AMA, the Ayurvedic word for toxins in the channels, tissues and organs of the body/mind, possesses qualities of cold, dry, hard, heavy, dense and thick, we introduce hot, oily, light, subtle, soft and penetrating procedures. The first 4 days I received warm herbal oil massage with herbs for my constitutional imbalance, steam, Shirodhara and Kati Basti. The purpose of the oil massage is to loosen the toxins residing in the body’s channels. The oil has the opposite qualities of AMA so it penetrates and begins to soften them up so they can easily be removed from their lodging places. The massage is conducted with a variety of vigorous strokes all over the body and ample application of oil. The stimulating effect of the massage excites the toxins to leave their resting place. They have become very lazy and complacent in their hiding places all over the physical terrain but when agitated they start to look for another place to inhabit. The steam heat, of course, creates more stimulation and liquifies the hard, cold qualities of AMA. The toxins and poisons rush from the extremeties to the inner core, the gastrointestinal tract, to seek refuge. But alas, they will not find a home there either.

The Pancha (5) Karmas (Actions) are specifically designed to remove the toxins from the nearest orifice. On the 4th day, I was given the first PK treatment called Virechana which means purgative. In other words, substances are ingested that will remove the toxins from the small and large intestines. Since I am a Pitta predominant constitution, the primary site of my imbalances tend to be the small intestine. The large intestine/colon is the site of Vata. I am at Vata stage of life, 55-60 years of age until the end of life, so some of my discomfort is due to toxins lodged in the colon. The oil massage and steam are merely preparatory measures to loosen and dislodge AMA but cannot remove them out of the body. This is the job of PK.
The Purgation technique eliminates old toxins hiding in these places and news ones who have recently sought refuge there. Once the Purgative substance is ingested, after about three hours or so, the toxins literally RUSH out of the body for about the next 8 hours screaming “Let my people GO”. What a relief to be rid of these vagabonds that are the cause of ill health.

There is more to be done, however, as the AMA takes on various attributes and leave in stages according to their individual qualities. Some are more difficult to deal with than others especially if they have been there for 66 years. Another daily treatment has been Shirodhara. This application involves a steady stream of warm oil on the third eye and all across the forehead. The technique is designed to remove the subtle toxins residing in the nervous system and brain. The nerve endings located on the forehead lead to the pituitary and pineal areas of the brain. The nervous system relaxes and lets go of unwanted baggage. Stress that builds up in our life seeks refuge as emotional AMA. Anytime we suppress and do not resolve emotions, they hang out in the cells until we consciously remove them. One of the more effective ways to do this is through Shirodhara. These pent up mental blockages to healing impede our efforts to heal and to remove the undesirable AMA. Keep in mind that from a holistic perspective physical/emotional/mental AMA are all combined together.

Another treatment that I will receive for the entire period that I am here is Kati Basti This means to infuse oil to the back or spine. It is done by the construction of a Yantra made of dough that is shaped like a donut and is placed on the spine area of impaction of AMA. In my case it is the low back area. The Yantra is filled with hot herbal concoction designed to eliminate blockages and obstructions of energy along the spinal column. This is an especially good treatment for sciatica, herniated discs, spondilosis and other spinal abnormalities.

On the 6th day of treatment i received Pizhichill/Sarwangdhara or warm herbal oil poured all over the body for half an hour. Keep in mind that in India they are not as modest about the body as we are especially during a massage done by same the sex. Men only work on men and women on women. You wear only a small g-string covering the genitals. Since Vata is one of the most difficult aspects or Doshas to return to balance, we need to introduce oil all over the body to reduce the dry, light, cold qualities of Vata. The oil, of course, is oily, hot and heavy. It is penetrating to remove the blockages of energy and toxins in the body/mind.

In addition, I received the second PK treatment which was Rakta Moksha. Rakta means red blood cells and Moksha is liberation, in other words, blood letting. Only a small amount, less than a pint, is needed to be released. Since i am Pitta predominant the heat in the blood causes stagnation. The excess fire in the body causes it to move faster throughout the blood seeking an outlet for the pent up energy. Since it has nowhere to go, unless there is internal or external bleeding disorders which are a result of an excessive derangement of Pitta, it eventually stagnates in certain channels. The Ayurvedic doctor released some of this stagnation with a needle by removing the blood from just above my ankle bone where a lot of my energy is blocked and the lowest point in the body where veins are accessible. The blood stagnates by rushing around all the time too busy to find time to relax and let go. This type of life style will stagnate our energy resulting in dis-ease. Ayurveda has many ways, just like Rakta Moksha process of PK, to relax the body/mind and to let go of toxicity in our life.

Today is a day of rest from treatments even though we originally planned to continue because the Dalai Lama came to stay in the ashram where I am doing PK. The tight security around his visit would not allow us in the building where he was staying. It just happened to be in the same place where the Ayurvedic center is located. Yes, I did get to see the Dalai Lama last night at a ceremony for the Special Preview and Blessings of the Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Even though he is Buddhist, he embraces all religions. He along with many saints and sages in India and from all over the world will be here to participate in this literary achievement.

Why you might be wondering would the publishing of an Encyclopedia on Hinduism be celebrated in such an elaborate and expensive manner? In Hinduism there is not a main central controlling headquarters advising everyone what to think and do. This concept in the Indian culture extends to many other aspects of life as well. Finally, many have joined minds and energies to develop one set of ideas that might represent the entire understanding of Hindu thought and history. NOTE: As my friend Dr. Dilip Sarkar says “Hinduism is not a religion but a philosophy of life”.

More to come next week.

Jai Ma
Vijaya

Om Shanti
Vijaya ]]> http://dhanvantari-ayurveda.com/articles/completion-of-the-traditional-treatment-program-of-pancha-karma/feed/ 0 http://dhanvantari-ayurveda.com/articles/final-week-of-traditional-pancha-karma-in-rishikesh/ http://dhanvantari-ayurveda.com/articles/final-week-of-traditional-pancha-karma-in-rishikesh/#comments Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:27:31 +0000 Thomas http://dhanvantari-ayurveda.com/?p=186 Om Namah Shivaya

We continued on the path of releasing toxins from the channels and tissues of the body/mind this week. There were days when each of felt tired or low energy as the process unfolded. At other times, however, we will filled with abundant grace and energy. The Ayurvedic doctor told us at the beginning that we would go through swings of energy and emotional releases. We have been able to watch the mind go through its usual gymnastics as well. The thing that helps us the most is we retire early in the evening. Usually we are asleep by 8-9pm and arise between 4-5am to do our individual spiritual practices. This is the key to maintaining balance along the way. Without the spiritual opening the cleanse is just like any other western style cleansing program which only works at the physical level. Ayurveda requires that we go deeper into consciousness which is where all dis-ease in the body/mind originates.

The male practitioners who are performing the therapies on us have prepared themselves spiritual for thie program. They begin each treatments with prayers, chanting and a puja. This sets the whole mood for our opening to the healing center that is within each of us.

This week included three days of receiving the massage with warm bolluses of grains, medicinal leaves and herbs soaked in herbal oils. It was followed by Kadi Vasti which involves making a donut of various grains placed on the vertebrae at the spot of our pain, tension or blockage of energy. The Vasti is filled with hot herbal oil for 30 minutes. After this we sometimes sat in the steam cabinet but not everyday. I also was given Karna Purana or warm medicinal oil in the ears and Nasya which is the herbal oil in the nasal passages for cleansing the head and sinuses. There is a Five Sense Therapy which the doctor offers including these two plus treatments for mouth, skin and eyes. The next three days we received massage, shirodhara and steam. It was glorious and seemed to get better each time they worked on me. Some times it actually felt ecstatic when they were massaging certain places like the scalp, feet, the back of my legs and my low back.

Today we had a day of rest from therapy. We still had a type of therapy by traveling to a city in the hills near our city. It was originally established as a hill camp by the British soldiers in 1827. It was so beautiful there because it overlooks the higher Himalayas that a city was built. We found a Tibetan village there called Happy Valley. The temple had been visited by the Dali Lama. We were both overwhelmed with the beauty and energy of the temple and stupa. For lunch we discovered a little Tibetan restaurant that served unbelievable food including momos, noodles, fried rice and chai tea. It was a wonderful way for us to spend our day off.

We have only four more days of PK with more Kadi Vasti for me and the Netra Vasti for the eyes. Of course, we receive more massage with the herbal bolluses, and steam. Will erport to everyone one more time before leaving India on Nov 30th.

OM Shanti
Vijaya

Today, Sunday has been a day a rest and relaxing from cleansing. Of course, the body still continues to cleanse even on these days. This process will continue even after we have completed the 30 days of PK. The body with it’s incredible wisdom knows the natural rhythm and cycle to release the toxins without depleting the body’s energy all at once. This is where the rejuvenation part of PK comes into play We must replenish the energy as well as releasing toxicity. That is why we must eat sweet things in our diet The sweet taste is the most rejuvenating of any food. Maury and I have found some amazing Ayurvedic sweets, of course. We are consuming many herbal teas and herbal jams called Lehyam or Chywan Prash. We found a new one, well it is actually one I have read about for years in the books but there is no source in the US, called Brahma Rasayana. Rasayana means rejuvenative. The ancient text and modern Ayurvedic doctors have reported it’s efficiency for those with cancer and AIDS. Maury and I have neither but we are interested in prevention as well as longevity. The Dr. attending us says we should return with 35 year old bodies at the end of our treatment program. We shall see. At least I have lost a lot of weight. I am on the next belt buckle on my belt so far.
In this process of cleansing we also go through numerous swings in energy and emotional releasing as well as the physical. Sometimes we have amazing energy and other times we just want to sleep. We are usually in bed before 9pm and are awake between 4-5am doing spiritual practice until time for our treatments at 8am. We sleep deeper and for longer periods of time. The mind is more focused and alert. Our body’s feel lighter and our appetites are immense. These are all signs that the program is working well.
More to follow.

Om Shanti
Vijaya

We finished our second week of Pancha Karma (PK). This was the week of continued massage and steam in many different ways than done normally in the US. Most of the massages are done with two or three PK therapists. Maury and I both had allergy symptoms followed by coughs and mine moved into the lungs. This was partially a result of getting accustomed to the many new, strange smells and pollution in India. The other part is merely a manifestation of our detoxing and cleansing. My lung line on my tongue is the clearest it has been in some time which is very good.
We did the first two days of the week with more warm herbal oil massage along with hot herbal packs heated with medicated oils. This was followed by herbal steam and Netra Vasti. Netra means eyes. A gram flour mask was built around both eyes to hold medicated Ghee(clarified butter with triphala). You look through the ghee for several minutes during three applications of the ghee. This is extremely wonderful for the vision, ocular pressure, glaucoma and cataracts.
The next two days we received Savangadhara/PizhuChil which was the process of literally pouring warm medicated oil for an hour all over the body front, back and while sitting on a wooden table with a trough that collects the oil at the bottom and underneath the table. The oil is warmed and recycled during each person’s treatment. In India they use almost 2 gallons of oil for each treatment. It is very effective for Vata imbalances such as dryness, insomnia, wasting of tissues, poor memory and concentration, improper digestion and elimination.
This was followed each day with Nasya, which means nasal, that involved putting medicated oil in each nostril. We received steam, a facial massage and breathing in eucalyptus steam infused with herbs Then several droppers of the medicated oil are put in each nostril. The oil activates the cavities in the sinuses eliminating toxins from the head.

The final two days of the week we received an amazing treatment for Pitta which reduces heat and softens the skin. The two sometimes three PK therapists. They cooked rice in raw milk until soft then poured that warm substance all over the body with intermittently massaging us with bolluses (Cloth bundles) filled with herbal leaves, ginger, & ajwan spice. Then the male attendants wipe you down while you stand under a hot shower. This has been the most incredible treatment for me yet. After the treatment, of course, your skin becomes milky smooth and the body is cooled.

Sunday was a day of rest but we actually went White Water rafting which could have been a mistake since we were soaking wet with the cold water from Mother Ganga(Ganges). Cold water is contra-indicative for PK. We were stiff and sore from paddling which we had not been used to of course. Today we have recovered and continue with our third week of the amazing program of cleansing and rejuvenation. By the way to help in rejuvenating we found a German Bakery and restaurant which allowed us to sample some delicious sweets. Sweet is excellent for the mind and recuperating from the intense part of the detoxing. No, that’s really true.

Om Shanti
Vijaya